Former India all-rounder Vijay Shankar has announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing an emotional end to a professional journey that lasted more than a decade across Indian domestic cricket, the IPL and the international stage.
The 35-year-old confirmed the decision through a heartfelt social media post, reflecting on a career filled with memorable highs, criticism, resilience and redemption. While stepping away from the domestic circuit, Vijay hinted that he still hopes to explore “new opportunities and play more cricket” in the future.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“Cricket is my life. I started playing when I was 10 and 25 years later, I am grateful and blessed to have played at every level and to the highest level. Representing our country will always be one of my proudest and happiest moments,” Vijay wrote.
A product of Tamil Nadu’s rich cricketing structure, Vijay made his domestic debut in 2012 and went on to serve Tamil Nadu cricket for 13 seasons before moving to Tripura during the 2025-26 campaign. Over the years, he quietly built a reputation as one of the most dependable seam-bowling all-rounders in the domestic circuit.
In 77 first-class matches, Vijay scored 4,253 runs while also picking up 43 wickets. He further featured in 112 List A matches and 159 T20 games, proving his versatility across formats.
His performances eventually earned him an India call-up in 2018. Between 2018 and 2019, Vijay represented India in 12 ODIs and nine T20Is. Though his international career was brief, it carried moments that remain etched in the memories of Indian cricket fans.
One of those came during the 2019 ODI World Cup in England. Brought into the attack after an injury to Bhuvneshwar Kumar against Pakistan, Vijay dismissed opener Imam-ul-Haq with his very first delivery in the tournament — a breakthrough that instantly became one of the standout moments of India’s campaign.
He also fondly remembered bowling the final over in India’s landmark 500th ODI in Nagpur, calling it one of the proudest moments of his career.
“Bowling the last over at India’s 500th ODI at Nagpur and my first ball first wicket at the 2019 World Cup are moments I will hold onto forever,” he wrote while thanking the BCCI, teammates, coaches and support staff.
In the IPL, Vijay enjoyed a long journey featuring for franchises including Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans. Across his IPL career, he scored 1,233 runs and delivered several impactful performances as a middle-order batter and utility all-rounder.
His finest IPL season came in 2023 with Gujarat Titans, where he scored 301 runs at a strike rate above 160 and played a key role in the franchise’s campaign after being part of their title-winning squad earlier.
Despite often facing scrutiny and memes over the “3D player” tag that followed him during his India days, Vijay embraced the nickname with warmth while signing off from domestic cricket.
“Your 3D cricketer, Vijay Shankar.”
And with that one final line, a career defined by persistence, adaptability and quiet contributions came to a graceful close.
